Statement about golden parachute pay-outs

The following is a statement from Rusty Fischer, Chairman of the Health First Board of Directors

ROCKLEDGE, FL - "After weeks of the Wuesthoff Board (now the Space Coast Health Foundation) stonewalling the public about the amount that it paid the former Wuesthoff top executives for "golden parachutes" we can now understand why it was trying to hide the information. The extraordinary money paid to these former executives belongs to the Brevard community and it should have gone to help provide essential health care in this community. As disturbing as these payments are, it is even more troubling that the Board tried to hide them, especially since many of those dollars were generated by charitable giving from the community.

"The Wuesthoff Board claimed their hospitals had to be sold because they were struggling financially, so it can't possibly believe that the former executives deserved to be paid big bonuses for extraordinary performance.

"While it may be too late to recover these millions of dollars, it is important that the Board of the new Foundation spend the remaining money more wisely. We question spending even more of the community's funds to continue the antitrust lawsuit against Health First. We further question how this lawsuit benefits the community. This lawsuit has always been poorly conceived, and without merit. Continuing pursuit of this lawsuit will do nothing to increase the funds available for health care in Brevard County or to improve delivery, but will only enrich attorneys. The real loser from the Foundation's lawsuit will be the community that will continue to be short-changed.

"We call on the Foundation Board to get some common sense and start thinking about what is best for Brevard."